Folding camp table



Sept. 8, 1925. 1,553,036

R. F. F033 FOLDING CAMP TABLE Filed April 5, 1923 2 Sheets-Shem l Sept 8, 1925.

1,553,036 R. F. FOSS FOLDING CAMP TABLE Filed April 5. 19 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES ROBERT F. FOSS, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

FOLDING CAMP TABLE.

Application filed April ,5, 1923. Serial No. 630,028.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT F. Foss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Camp Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to furniture, and

more particularly to camp furniture, and has for an object to provide a knock-down camp table that can be compactly folded to occupy a small space and rendering the device particularly serviceable for automobile equipn'ient and camping parties.

. An object is to provide an extremely simple, low cost, substantial and light camp table. Another object is to provide a camp table having a plurality of leaves hingedly connected and adapted to be folded one upon the other by lateral movement, and an object is to provide one of the leaves with a pair of leg frames, each of which leg frames is provided with a pair of foldable legs.

Other objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following specification of an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective showing the table set up and the leaves stacked, previous to unfolding into a common plate on the top of the legs. 1

Fig. 2 is a plan showing the leg frames and the legs folded in collapsed position upon their carrying leaf or section of the table top.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the collapsed table showing the leaves in the action of being superfolded.

Fig. i is a top plan of the extended top.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the table with parts thereof in section.

In this invention, I form a table top of a plurality of sections 2, 3, 4 and 5, which are of any suitable length and width and thickness, but preferably the several leaves are of uniform thickness so as to form a smooth top table surface when the leaves are extended, as shown in Figure 4, into a common plane. The meeting edges of the several leaves are hingedly connected as at 6 by suitable, and a suflicient number of, hinges,

to provide rigidness of structure. The hinges permit the leaves to be superfolded one upon the other, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3, making a bulk which is equal to the length, depth and thickness of the superposed leaves; the leaves stacking face to face. The center hinges 6 fold in the opposite direction from the outside hinges 6, so that the section 2 will fold upwardly onto the section 3 and the section 5 will fold upwardly onto the section 4, and the folded sections 2 and 3, and 4 and 5 will fold in ,the opposite direction on the center hinges 6.

. An important feature of the invention is the proviison of a set of legs 7, 7 and 8 and 8, and means to which the legs are foldably connected, and which means are, in turn, adjustably attached to but one of thetable leaves. In the present case, the pair of legs '7-'7 are hingedly connected at 9 to a swinging carrier or frame 10, and the pair of legs 8-8 are hingedly connected at 11 to a swinging member or frame 12.

The'legs of each pair are adapted to be swung on their pivots or hinges into a common plane, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3, up' under their carrying member 10 or 12, and to provide for compactness of the structure when collapsed or folded up, the legs of each pair have their edges, which approach or lie contiguous when folded. generally recessed or cut away on the inner side of'each as at 7'. In other-words, the

legs of each pair are mutually offset so that they can swing into inwardly folded position within the side lines of their carrying member 10 or 12.

To obtain rigidity and strength of construction, the pivoted ends of the several legs are nearly as wide as their carrying member 10 or 12, and receive the bolt or pin 9 or 11 forming their pivotal connection. 95

While any suitable form of construction of carrier member for the legs may be employed, the members as here shown consist of light but substantial lchannel-shaped frames, through the flanges of which the several pivoting pins or bolts 7 and 11 pass transversely, and thus the swinging ends of the legs are received between the flanges of their carrying members. An advantage of this type of carrying member is that, being of channel form, it provides between the flanges a recess into which the legs may be compactly folded.

'The carrier members or frame 10 and 12 are each firmly connected to one face as of the table leaf 2 for a swinging movement thereon, such being made possible by substantial king pins or bolts 15, having heads 16 countersunk in the top faces of the top leaves. The carrying members 1012 are thus swi ngingly clamped close against the bottom faces of the leaves 2, and may be swung around under the main leaf 2, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The members 10 and 12 are respectively pivoted at diagonally opposite portions of the main table leaf 2, and thus may be swung into substantially parallel position under the leaves, and the legs may be folded down into the channel members 10 and 12.

In the perpendicular position of the legs as to their carrying members, they are adapted to be braced by knuckle or otherwise jointed braces 17, connecting them with their carrying members.

After the legs have been set up with'their carrying members in substantially parallel position, the leaves 2, 3, 4 and 5 are unfolded into a common plane on the top of the members 1012, thus completing the table.

For the purpose of fastening the swing ing members 10 and 12 against accidental dislodgment, means are provided for interlocking them with the contiguous unfolded table leaf. Such means may consist of a set of claw-like devices 18, provided on the under side of the leaf 5. These claw-like devices are adapted to reach under transverse edges 10 and 12 of the leg members 10 and 12 as the table top leaves are flattened out, as is clearly shown in Figure 5. This connection prevents the members 10 and 12 from swinging on their pivots, and also provides such connection between the leaf 5 and the members 10 and 12 as to hold the leaf 5 down in extended position against direct upward movement, as when being lifted b the edge. This enables the set up table to be readily shifted from place to place, even when the table is loaded.

From the above it will be seen that I have provided a novel, foldable and compactly arrangeable table structure which is of extreme simplicity, of substantial parts, and which is wholly devoid of any special latches or fastening means which must be individually or severally manipulated in the unfolding and folding of the parts. In other Words, it has been an object of my invention to provide a table of foldable and knock-down capacity that can be manipulated both in erection and in collapsing by a lady or child, without requiring any special training or skill, and which table is, as I produce it, wholly free of puzzling operation and frail construction.

Further embodiments, modifications and variations may be resorted to within the principle of the invention.

' hat is claimed is:

1. A table including a top formed of four leaves adapted to be super-folded flatwise one upon the other, and two pairs of foldable legs, each pair being swingingly connected to one of the top leaves and the legs of such conformation as to lie contiguous one to the other in a common plane when folded, and members to each of which one pair of the legs is foldably connected, said members being pivotally connected to the said leaf and adapted to be swung around transversely thereto to form cross parts upon which the leaves may be unfolded.

2. A table including a top formed of a plurality of leaves adapted to be super-folded flatwise one upon the other, two pairs of foldable legs, each pair being swingingly connected to the same top leaf at opposite ends thereof and at opposite sides of the leaf, the said foldable legs extending longitudinally of the leaf and of such conformation as to lie contiguous one to the other in a common plane when in folded position, and members to each of which one pair of the legs is foldably connected, said members being pivotally connected to the said leaf and adapted to be swung around transversely thereto to form cross parts upon which the leaves may be unfolded.

3. A foldable table structure including a foldable top, members pivotally connected against the bottom face of one of the leaves of the top so as to be folded transversely thereto and into opposite and parallel pos1- tion, legs foldably connected to each of said members, and means carried by one of the leaves of the top adapted to interlock with the transversely positioned members, in setting up the table, for preventing the said members from swinging, said members each being provided with a transverse edge portion, and said means including claws to receive said portions.

41. A foldable table structure including a foldable top, members pivotally connected against the bottom face of one of the leaves of the top so as to be folded transversely thereto and into opposite and parallel position, legs foldably connected to each of said members, and means carried by one of the ceive said portions, said claws passing under leaves of the top adapted to interlock with said portions to prevent direct upward the transversely positioned members, in set movement of the interlocked top section. 10 ting up the table, for preventing the said In testimony whereof I have signed my 5 members from swinging, said members each name to this specification.

being provided with a transverse edge portion, and said means including claws to re- ROBERT F. FOSS. 

